Kohls Credit Card Review
How many times have you been asked to apply for a Kohls credit card at checkout? I’ve been asked more times than I can count, but I continue to tell them “no thanks” to the application. This review explains why.
The rewards (or lack thereof)
For most people, this is the main reason to signup for a store-branded card, right? Well if that’s your motive, the Kohls card is going to leave you quite disappointed!
With most retail credit cards, your spending will earn your points or gift certificates to use at the store. But with this one you don’t earn any points or store credits.
There are coupons given to Kohls charge card holders, but you will receive those 12x per year no matter what. So it can be helpful to have an account so they give you those, but as far as using it for your purchases, why bother when there’s no rewards program?!
Instead this is what I recommend doing:
- Have a Kohls credit card account open so you receive the coupons. But don’t use the card to pay for your purchases.
- Use an American Express Blue Cash because it earns high cash back at select department stores in the US:
- Kohl’s
- Macy’s
- Boscov’s
- Stein Mart
- Lord & Taylor
- Belk
- J.C. Penney (JCP)
- Bon Ton Stores
- Neiman Marcus
- Sears
- Bealls
- Saks Fifth Avenue
- Dillard’s
- Bloomingdale’s
- Century 21 Department Stores
- Nordstrom
This American Express comes in two versions and here’s how they work…
Blue Cash Everyday
- 3% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases
- 2% at US gas stations and select US dept stores (no reward caps on these categories)
- 1% on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
- Cash back is in the form of Reward Dollars, which you can redeem as a statement credit.
- No annual fee
- $100 bonus when you apply here and spend $1k in the first 3 months
- Terms and restrictions apply
Blue Cash Preferred
- 6% at US supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases
- 3% at US gas stations and select US dept stores (no reward caps on these categories)
- 1% on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
- Cash back is in the form of Reward Dollars, which you can redeem as a statement credit.
- $75 annual fee
- $150 bonus when you apply here and spend $1k in the first 3 months
- Terms and restrictions apply
I have the no annual fee version and use that whenever I shop at Kohl’s. That way I’m also earning rewards on my purchases. However if you shop a lot at the eligible department stores, then go with the $75 version. Since it gives 3% at the aforementioned stores, you can quickly rake up some serious dough. Plus since it has that generous bonus (which wasn’t around when I applied for mine) it makes sense to at least try out the “Preferred” version and then downgrading later on.
Going back to the topic of the Kohls card, the biggest reason people fill out the application is probably because they want the 15% off the first purchase. That is a nice touch, but honestly how much is that going to save you? If you’re just buying a sweater and pair of shoes, 15% isn’t going to equal a lot. And even if you are spending 500 bucks, 15% of that only equals $75, which is still less than what most credit cards give these days for signup offers.
The fine print about interest rates
If you carry a balance – ever – the credit card from Kohls is going to hurt, and it’s going to hurt bad! At the time of this review, the APR is 21.9 percent.
To make matters worse, they may give you penalty APR which is even higher – 24.9 percent. According to the Kohls cardmember agreement, they may give you this higher rate if you (a) make a late payment, or (b) make a payment that is returned. So if you pay on time, you’re paying almost 22% and if you make a late payment, you might be paying almost 25%. You’re not winning either way.
It has very limited use
Because it’s not a part of a major payment network (like Visa/MasterCard/American Express) it can only be used at the Kohl’s department store. So it serves no use anywhere else.
Will it look good on your credit report?
Many experts warn that you should avoid store charge cards at all costs. Why? Because every time you apply for a credit card, it results in what is known as a “hard pull” on your credit report. This inquiry is used to check your creditworthiness, but in some situations it can purportedly drop a FICO credit score by up to 10 or 20 points (however after a year, it won’t have any effect). This is why accounts should be opened sparingly and only when it’s a credit card you really want and can use everywhere.
The bottom line is this…
Despite my negativity, I agree the Kohls charge card has a couple valid uses:
- Having the card for coupons. Who doesn’t love coupons, right? But please keep in mind these aren’t always better than the newspaper and online coupons you can get without their credit card.
- For people with bad credit. The minimum credit score needed for a Kohls card application to be approved is not public information. However if I had to make an educated guess, I would estimate the minimum score is in the mid-600’s. Whatever it may be, it’s safe to say that their card is easier to get than a major credit card. So if you have bad credit and are looking to rebuild, getting an account with Kohls is one of the steps you can take.
This review was written or last updated April 2013
Complete morons. We won’t do business w/ them again. We made a mistake and put the address in the envelope backwards. The bill was sent back. As soon as we found out we called. We tried to put it on a credit card for a charge and …. they screwed it up. MORONS. Then charged us big time. Got rid of the card and will not go back in there store.
I agree you are a complete moron {We made a mistake and put the address in the envelope backwards) and blame Kohls
There is a lot of confusion. Lots of comments about Kohl’s profiting from huge interest charges, charging late fees when people pay their bill late, etc.
Kohl’s does not own the card. Capital One Bank profits from the interest charges, not Kohl’s. Just pay your purchase with the Kohl’s charge and then pay your bill off with the same cashier. You get all the discounts and pay no interest.
I am having a problem closing my Kohls acct as well. When I call I get a message about a free trip (twice) and then a busy signal…no option of staying on the line and waiting for the next rep. The next time I got a message about some wonderful deal about rebates…and then the busy signal. I’m glad a ditching this organization.
As a Kohl’s employee, I will stand by the company and the store. I keep reading that so many people have a problem with the charge card, but that is on a corporate level. Don’t quit shopping just because you’ve run into issues with them. The Kohl’s Charge Card was my first credit card, and I use it simply for the discounts. I get my discounts at the register, and before I even walk out of the store I pay it in full the same day with cash or check. It just takes a few more moments to do that, and then when the statement comes I don’t have a balance.
buyer be aware of applying for a Kohl’s credit card at their register!!! They will ask if you would like to apply for their charge card, with instant credit and in return will have an instant (in my case) 20% discount. I had about $500 of merchandise that day, so I decided I would open an account that day. They rushed me through the process as the line was backed up. I was told to put my initials on the touch screen, to confirmed that I would like to open a credit line with them, BUT not knowingly signed up for the “account ease” insurance as well! Never once was this mentioned to me, never once did I receive anything in the mail about this new “insurance” that I just supposedly signed and agreed to. I paid my monthly bills each month, thinking that I was paying the extra for interest. When I realized I was being charged for the 2 fees a month, I looked for a way to cancel this.
Of course there was no information explaining what this ease premium was or any contact information on the statement. I did call the 1-800 number for customers service and asked for this to be removed and my account credited. The rep. told me that she would refer my account to that department to “cancel” this but I had agreed to the insurance by “initialing” it when I applied for the credit card. I also ask for a number to speak to someone directly and was told that they didn’t give out that number. She could only e-mail my request to their customer service dept that handled the insurance. So now I don’t know if this was actually done or not. But I wanted to make sure that All Future Kohl’s Credit Card Holders, to be aware of applying for their charge card at register. Take the time to read everything, before initialing the screen, because its not just the $300-$500 credit line you are applying for, its the insurance as well. Very misleading!!!
I am investigating into a potential class action lawsuit against Kohl’s involving their “account ease” plan and welcome the opportunity to speak with you. There is no financial obligation. Thank you.
Best,
Angela Edwards
Law Office of Angela Edwards
East Longmeadow, MA 01028
(413) 525-3820
angelaedwards@charter.net
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I got a Kohls card on Black Friday 2012, and I used it to do a lot of my Christmas shopping. I made my first payment on time over the phone. The 2nd payment, I logged into the website a day late, and found a $25 late charge. I tried to make a $57 payment to cover the minimum, plus the late fee. I log in a week later, to find a $25 return check fee. I was not notified of this at all, until they called me asking for a payment and then looked in the notes. I told them there was no reason for the return check fee, I put in the correct account/routing number, the money is in my bank account, and I paid it on time. They’re doing an “investigation” now. In the mean time they told me to go online and resubmit my payment, so I did. This was 2 weeks ago, and it still has not come out of my bank account. I don’t understand this! I don’t think I’ll be using this card anymore. I may just continue to pay it off, and then close it. This is horrible.
This also happened to me and I fought it. Go figure they didn’t give me my 25 dollars back and i had to talk to a sales rep that wanted to charge me 10 dollars to help me pay it over the phone. I guess i have to go in to the store to pay my bill.
I can’t believe that there are so many complaints on this site. None of them are Kohl’s fault. It takes only a few minutes a week to log into all of your credit accounts and check balances. Be responsible people. Charge the card and pay it off right afterwards. There is no reason for late payments. If you can’t afford to pay your card off every month, then guess what… You will have to pay interest. And if you carry a balance every month, then guess what… You will have a bill every month. If you don’t get a bill in the mail, you are still responsible for your charges. If you can’t keep up with your bills then you shouldn’t have credit cards. It’s that simple. Log into all of your credit accounts every week and stay on top of things. Don’t blame Kohl’s for you being unorganized. And FYI, all of the complaints on this blog have nothing to do with Kohl’s. This card is issued by Capital One. All of the late fee’s, high interest rates, and “missed bills” are a direct result of the issuing bank. So lay off of Kohl’s. They are a great store. If they weren’t then why would you apply for their card in the first place?
I work at Kohl’s credit department and I must say that we are in the top of customer service. We understand people may miss a bill but 99% of the time we will work with you when it comes to late fees. Not saying we will remove every late fee or that we will remove at all but we do work with our customers to try and help with the situation. Here is my personal intake on any credit card. You know you owe money so even if you dont get a bill online or by mail make it your responsability to check on your statements and get payments in. There is only a few real reasons to be late: natural disasters, death, even then you have 28 days to get the payment in. People just need to be more responsible and pay their bills and stop looking to blame someone else for your payment being late. U can pay by phone, in store, online and by mail. As far as credit line increases if your denied there is a reason and its not our fault. Your credit in entire is reviewed to see if your eligable for an increase. Also your income plays a huge factor. If you make no money your not going to get an increase heck u wont even be approved for a card. You must make money in order to be able to pay it off. Another thing if you have tons of debet that your already paying on and your income ratio it being used by your other line of credit how are u going to pay us? u can u wont then u will be complaing about your late fee. So think before you apply for any credit card. Seriously people!
You know nothing about consumers. I am glad to se you sticking up for your employer. People make mistakes I see no reason to be penalized on their credit score. One late payment if 31. Days and the sent it to my credit report. I called to ask for help I paid the bill off in full once I realized the payment was missed. They do not care about the consumer I will never set foot in that place again. The funny thing is they don’t care. But I will make sure everyone I know about the way they denied my reason. They say they investigated the situation I never received a call from anyone after I called customer service. Nice investigation Kohl’s. so spare me with the great customer service remark.
The Kohl’s Charge card is a huge scam! They just want to take your money! It has been nothing but a huge hassle. I regret buying into their scam. I signed up thinking I would save money, but in the end I ended up getting charged for no reason and they wouldn’t refund me! Trying to cancel the card had been a huge pain in my rear too. The Kohl’s line is always busy and they are not helpful. I hate the Kohl’s charge card, it is so unfair.
Never had any problems with a Kohl’s credit card. I know when I spend money on it and I make sure I check for the statement, whether I receive an email reminder or not. In addition, I receive a paper bill and they give you the option to only pay a percentage of the bill without accruing interest charges. What other credit card will allow you to do that? No complaints here. Of course, I am a responsible credit user and we all know that many people are not!
They will never let you pay part with no credit charges. Look at your bill. If you only pay part their interest rate on the remainder is 21.9%.
I really do receive a lot of great discounts by having a Kohl’s charge card; however, when I first opened it, my FICO score dropped by 8 points. I follow my credit scores very closely. That was a year ago and it has not gone back up. While my credit score is luckily high enough that it hasn’t impacted it, it is still a lot of points to drop just to open a store card. If I had to do it over again, I don’t think I would.
I got approved for a kohls card. My credit is not the greatest, had incorrect info on my credit that wasnt mines. account in collection and late payments and they still approved me. I later corrected the wrong info. No problems with the website and making payments. With the coupons off and discounts it pretty much balances out what the interest rate is so its as if i’m not paying any interest because I usually pay the balance off in few months.
Kohl seem to try there best to keep people from paying their credit card bill online. It is the worst website I have ever seen. Their information about balances due are incorrect making late charges and bad credit reports. I will never shop at Kohl again.
I agree with Linda. I have nothing but trouble trying to pay on line. I was charged 25.00 once because I was a day late paying. I just had much trouble getting on the web site. The bank card I have does not cause me so many problems. They send an e-mail notice. I have not received one from khols yet. The web site is just so dreadful!!!
OMG, now I DO see I’m NOT the only one! I also switched from paper to online statements years ago–they CLAIMED I was late and that they sent the email statement…but they lied! Then they kept that ONE lateness on my credit for years!! Shame on you, Kohls’ credit!
Same thing happened to me. No email for on-line statement. Got hit with a $25 late fee on a $54 balance. Outrageous!!!
I have a Kohls charge myself, and i’ve had for close to 5 years, never had any problem whatsoever, sometimes i can’t pay the whole thing at the register immediately, however, every time i can. i try paying it all off, i’m always on time on payments, and if you do pay your bills on time, you shouldn’t have any problems, i live this card because i’m able to save a lot of money thru out the year.
I too, have a Kohl’s charge for the discounts, and pay the balance either right at the register or online. I keep a sticky note in my checkbook with dates and balances, just in case I miss my email statement. One time I did pay late due to carelessness; I was very busy that week and procrastinated doing my paperwork. Tough lesson to learn, I paid off the balance and the late fee immediately. Never did that again! MY OWN FAULT! Suck it up. End of story. The due date on your bill is just that; you don’t have the right to pay it up to the end of billing cycle. There is a notice on every bill that says “Payment must be RECEIVED by the DUE DATE”, not the end of the billing cycle. Every time you open a new charge, you are given a disclosure statement with the rules and fees. READ IT!
DON’T SWITCH FROM PAPER BILLS TO ELECTRONIC without paying very close attention to your account. We switched and didn’t receive an email about our bill for 3 months. There was a small charge ($20) that I didn’t know about, so after 3 months they finally sent an email telling me I had a bill. When I went online my $20 charge was now $73 including $50 in late fees and $3 in interest. They did reverse the $50 in late fees when we explained that we had changed to electronic and they hadn’t sent us an email the first two months (verified that emails hadn’t gone to spam or old). BUT, they had reported us as delinquent payers to the reporting agencies, and refused to correct that. We will not be using Kohls anymore!!!!
I am not saying I am a fan of how Kohl’s conducts their credit card business, however, if you stopped paying your bill for a few months just because you never got an email telling you if was due, then it should be reported on your credit file. Not being harsh, just sounds silly that you forget you owe someone money simply because they didn’t remind you.
I just cancelled my Kohl’s credit card. I had paid off my balance in full last month, the day before the billing cycle closed. Today i received a bill for a twenty-five dollar late fee. They had decided that their due date for payments should be several days before the billing cycle ends, which to me did not make sense. It would mean that every month there would be potential late fees for anything purchased between the due date and the end of the billing cycle.
One would think the purpose of offering a store credit card would be to build customer loyalty and encourage consumers to spend more money at the store during repeat visits and not to try to bilk them with deceptive credit practices.
Your due date is you due date! Your Billing cycle date is when a new bill generates. You clearly deserved the late fee.
I have one caveat to any reader of this blog…be VERY careful about reading older posts. I found two inaccuracies in this post, one by the writer and one by a poster. First of all, since this post was creates (apparently in January) the processing company has changed. Kohl’s charge cards are now processed through Capital One. This is probably a GOOD reason for the second inaccuracy. Several people commented about how hard it is to get a Kohl’s Charge. This is inaccurate. I have seen newly graduated seniors get this card. I have had people tell me “No, I won’t get approved, my credit isn’t that good.” and get the card.
Now to my issue with this post. My primary issue is it is WRONG. The 21.9% interest is an APR, which means an Annual rate. That means you would have to keep the balance on the card for an entire YEAR in order to pay the 21.9%. Figure that out on a monthly basis and it is only (lets say you have a $100 balance) 21.90 a year. That is about $1.825 s month for interest on our hypothetical $100 balance.
Now lets say you get a 30% coupon and spend $200 on your card, which you pay off to maintain your $100 balance. 30% of $200 is $60. So in one transaction you have saved 3 times your interest rate on your hypothetical $100 balance.
This all being said I don’t want to minimize the 21.9% interest. That is a pretty high card but, as I read in another posting, that can be an incentive to keep the balance low and pay it off monthly.
So, being someone who can’t get a Kohl’s card because of my credit, and an employee who would LOVE to get one! I would completely disagree with this entire post. If you are smart with your money, which isn’t hard because you can only use the card at Kohl’s and they have register payment, then you don’t maintain a balance (or a very minimal one like my hypothetical $100 balance) and get minimal or NO finance charges.
And to the stupid people who posted that they “forgot” to pay the bill and this somehow becomes the company’s fault. The company, or anyone else for that matter, is NOT responsible for your STUPIDITY! All it takes is a calendar with the due date on it and you can pay. Have a store nearby, stop in and pay at the register, you don’t even have to wait for it to get to the center in the mail. Finally, if you never want to worry about a bill just pay off the balance as you charge and never worry about a bill or balance or finance charges. Posts like this, and the people who don’t understand how credit and credit cards work frustrate me. I learned the hard way, by driving myself into debt so badly that I needed bankruptcy, but I did learn and I can say that credit IS valuable and should be used. This card is a great way to use it too!
Well put!!!
I did get the card for the discounts but at the cash register you can use the card and then WRITE A CHECK FOR THE FULL AMOUNT YOU JUST CHARGED so then you never have to worry about being late on a payment or carrying a balance. I have my check ready (other than the amount) so it takes less than an minute extra and doesn’t hold up the line too much. I canceled the TJX card because you cannot pay at the counter. You can get bargains at KOHLS but I don’t like how they mark everything up so much that you can’t buy (or shouldn’t) unless you have all the discounts and clearance. I like the idea of Walmart that the prices are the prices, fair all the time and you don’t have to wait for all the coupons. You shouldn’t have to wait for a 50% off for it to be a normal price, that is how it is at Kohls.
Our Family home was totally destroyed in a house fire earlier this year. I have been making large purchases on clothes and house hold goods all summer and paying off the balances each month. Because I paid my balance in full and it was over 47% of my credit limit, my Kohl’s card was put on “Hold” for 14 days automatically by the Computer to give Kohl’s time to make sure my “Payment” clears and no one in the “Credit Department” can do anything. My payment cleared my bank the day after I made the payment. I went to Kohl’s to purchase winter clothes for my children and was allowed to put $1 on my Kohl’s card and that is when I found out my account was on Hold. Apparently, the more you spend and pay – the more you are not allowed to use their card. The store Employees have been great to me but Corporate doesn’t want to keep its’ Customers. Goodbye Kohl’s!!
I got a Kohl’s card for the discounts. I made some purchases and discovered they will NOT take a debit card online, they insist on getting bank routing information which I am not willing to give and no other company requires. I don’t even give access to my bank account to my teens. So I sent a check for half the bill. The next billing cycle, I paid the balance in full. I got another bill but ignored it thinking it was simply telling me I was paid in full. Then I got another bill, opened it and found a charge for $25 (1/4 of the bill paid in full) and interest on the “late fee”, which might be illegal! So I called customer service and was on hold for about half an hour to get a supervisor. I was told payment was received a couple of days late, but it was before the next billing cycle which most companies will honor. I also explained that I have horrible mail service and if it wasn’t delivered on time it was because I was not able to pay online due to their insane policies. I was finally told that they would remove the late charges and my balance would be zero. This week I get another bill for $1.90! I have now reported them to the Better Business Bureau.
I don’t know what the fuss is about. I use my Kohls card when you have to to get the discounts. I pay the card off every month. No late charges. If you all can’t pay your card off each month, then don’t use it. You obviously don’t have the money to be out shopping or you don’t understand how to use a credit card either. Kohls is not hard to understand.
I am so sick of this card. I’ve gotten late fees in the past because they have this little box that shows the payment date and it’s always 2 weeks out. If you don’t change that date you’re not paying until then, and your account goes past due. Infuriating how they trick you. In June I thought I paid my account off, but there was a “reversal payment”. I got a bill today for $90. They will do just about anything to get you to pay online or through the automated phone system, “Extremely high wait times, go to Kohls.com to pay now, Extremely high call volumes” but then they answered my call within 3 minutes. Lies. They don’t even give you an option to speak to a rep after you choose the option for calling about the card. I had to press zero to get sent to an agent. My agent was great and canceled the fees. Give it a shot, don’t just pay it, that’s what they want you to do! Fight them!
I hold a kohls cash card and I receive only 15% off mailer every time, they claim that it will be picked randomly but I doubt. Even the customers without this card get this off by some online promo codes that are available every time in Kohls.com or in some websites.Unlike other store card which gives some additional advantage to their store credit card customers, Kohls doesn’t offer anything of that sort. For example target offers a 5% off on all(no limit whatsoever) purchases(in-store and online) and free shipping without any minimum purchase limit for all online orders, even macys have good offers for their card holders.. They will be trying to sell this card stating you will get 15% to 30% off, but one thing you shd note they have this 15% off for everyone for most of the year.
I get 30% off almost every single month!!! They send it to me in the mail… Targets card is the WORST card out there!!! Your interest rate is nearly 30%!!! Sometimes i don’t even have a discount card with me, but i tell the cashier I left my 30% at home and they give it to me!!! I love kohls and Target is WAAAAY over priced!!!
I opened my credit line at the store as a incentive to save money. In the end I would have saved more by just paying the regular price. I get hundreds of emails and to simplify I just glance and delete. Well, I missed my due date and I called custermor service. We agreed on a balance, I paid it in full that day. The next billing cycle there was a $17.00 bal. I did not see it until today. 3 months later. Now i owe $73.03 on a zero balance. So Kohls charges late fees on late fees. Customer Service in not help full, I will never use there card again.
I have the same feeling. I just called them and closed this account. 2 months ago, my wife just used it for about $20+ stuff. I didn’t pay attention for the bill because I always have my credit cards auto-paid. But there is not an auto-paid option for Kohl’s card. It’s very easy to ignore the bill bacause we didn’t use this card often. I have been charged the late fee twice within one year, also the interest. It is much more than what my wife saved. So the best way is closing the card and never touch it again!
I would like to add another voice of dissent from anyone who thinks it is a good idea to have a Kohl’s credit card. I normally do not take on credit cards but my wife signed me up. A special offer induced me to try to find something that I liked to make the savings worthwhile. It was a strain, but I eventually spent a grand total of $15.
Like several above me, I also forgot to pay off the balance on a purchase in April. In June, I went to buy a car and found that my credit history was not flawless as expected. Kohl’s had put a negative entry on my credit history in the amount of $15 and it took my otherwise perfect score down significantly.
I paid the balance and penalty($15 – making $30 total) as soon as I discovered this and called Kohls to tell them I had not seen any statements and to request removal of the notice. They credited the penalty but then wrote to me to say they would not correct the credit report.
In fairness, it appears that they had tried to call me – but used a system that shows up on caller ID as an robo call (not even as Kohls) – hence it was unanswered. Their customer communication capabilities are inadequate.
It strikes me that Kohls are much too trigger happy. They issue bad credit reports if you miss one payment! Kohls is probably the biggest loser in this episode however, since my extended family will no longer shop there. For the sake of $15 they have lost thousands in revenues and will now have to suffer more negative comments as I troll the social media sites. How stupid is that?
Why didn’t you just pay off your BIGGGGG $15 dollat purchase right away at the same register??? As adults we should definitely pay your bills on time… sooooooooo, why didn’t you??? Why wouldn’t you answer your phone??? To many things in collections i bet!!!
Thanks for your comments Kevo. Some restatement is required for clarity.
The whole point of the exercise was to use the card to get a discount – hence not paying cash at the desk. (Reading down at other comments here, I was unaware of the pay the cc balance at the desk option.)
Reference your comments about not picking up the phone ‘.. too many collections I bet’ – if you read what I said – ‘I normally do not take on credit cards’ and ‘ my credit history was not flawless as expected’ – that would surely give you a clue that I don’t actually need lots of credit cards and I consider my record was otherwise highly rated. My issue in forgetting is that I am just not accustomed to having to pay off credit cards each month – because I don’t need to! My main credit card is paid off in total, automatically each month. Yes – that’s my fault, but does that not make me also the kind of customer that Kohl’s wants?
So to clarify the unanswered robo call statement – my son did actually pick up the call. He told me about it a month later after I learned about the forgotten payment problem. He told me that the caller ID was unrecognizable and that a mechanical voice said to press #1 now without explaining what it was about. So he put the receiver down – like we told him to do for all the other junk calls we get.
I agree that we should be good custodians of our financial matters, but sometimes mistakes are made. My point is that Kohl’s is intolerant of mistakes and that readers of this site should learn from the one that I and a lot of other people have made, and understand the risk they are taking with Kohls.
Kohl’s would also do well to listen to the overwhelming number of complaints from others on this issue that are spread across the Internet. They must have cost the company dearly in revenue and goodwill. They should take the opportunity to learn about the technical issues that are related to complaints like this. None of these are insurmountable. If they cared for their customers, they would address them through their own processes, systems and their relationships with Capital One and the credit rating bureaus. It would be foolish for Kohls to let Capital One run amok with their customers’ goodwill. In doing what they have done, they have lost a good customer.
The Kohls Credit card is the BEST credit card I have ever gotten. I have plenty of them, around 15 different store/major credit cards. I'm shocked to find out that people are surprised when they get fees and sent to collections when they dont pay their bill. Its kind of common sense, and why should you be forgiven for a late payment or missed payment, thats ridculous. You miss a payment, you're basically stealing.
I found out that my credit score was lowered because of a late fee from Kohls in Sept. 2010. I have never been late on any payment anywhere but did not receive a bill that month.
I called Kohl’s and spoke to Monica, she stated that the statement was mailed out so it was not their fault and the negative report would not be withdrawn.
Like i stated, I have never had a bounced check or late payment anywhere and have been a customer of Kohl’s since 2001.
These people are not very customer-oriented.
The kohls charge is owned by capital one… ummmmmm, It says it right on the statement dummy?!?!?!?! So its capital one you should be upset with and your lack of skills on paying your bills on time…
AGREE! Don’t have Kohl’s card. If you have it close it immediately. Don’t shop in Kohl’s ever!
I got the Kohl’s card for the discount and have not ONCE looked back. If I make a purchase, I pay it off within a week, if not at the counter in cash literally moments after my purchase. But then, I don’t make a habit of spending money I don’t have so… maybe it’s just me…
Way to go Madz….you are very wise!
i have read every one of these blogs and it’s sad that people blame Kohls for their problems…Oh my bill was due on the weekend and I forgot to pay it, I didn’t get my bill in the mail last month and I wasn’t reminded by Kohls to pay it…it’s all their fault…blah blah blah! You remember to use the credit card when you want something ,,,but your brain forgets that you owe it???Come on…You can’t fool us!…And NO I am not a Kohls employee….I’m just an average Joe who worked in customer service and heard every trick in the book as an excuse why someone didn’t do something they were responsible for….Wake up people…Take responsibility for your actions…You all have a mobile phone or calendar on your wall….make a note of it…PAY KOHLS !!!
You cant pay it if you cant get your account number via phone and they wont send the bill! They will, however, call and tell you that your LATE but refuse to give your account number so you can pay at the store. The bill hasn’t been sent yet and I’ve begged them to please send me one for 3 months now.
Don’t get a Kohls Card!!
If you go to customer service, they will go you a TEMP # and you can make a payment with that…so your excuse doesn’t fly…I know I’m a customer & did this myself…if there’s a will, there’s a way….and they don’t have to give you the card # to pay by phone, they’ll take your payment & apply it to your acct #. You can also pay it on line…I don’t understand you made a purchase with the card, but you don’t have the card when it comes to make a pmt…always someone else’s fault!!!!
You must not have kids. Calendar or not…..sometimes crap happens. We can be reminded, then there is homework while you remember…then baseball game …..while your son is getting ready….your baby poops and you are almost out the door…your husband ends up working late….then dinner….etc! Hence forgetting the payment. Then lets say they remove that one late payment for you. Its human nature and we forget even with reminders!
Listen up….If you get the Kohls credit card have the monthly payoff in your bank account…Don’t charge more each month than you can afford to pay off…set up automatic payments out of your checking account to pay the entire balance…you say you can’t do that? Well Stupid is as stupid does…
I forgot to pay my bill last month. It was my fault. I was very busy and it was due on a Sunday. Superbowl Sunday to be exact. I usually do my payments online or at the store. I hate when payments are due on the weekend or holidays.
Anyway, with my hectic life I found out about my late payment on Feb. 7 and I was already being charge $180 total including past due bill and 35 dollars penalty fee. I understand I was late. I scheduled a small payment and since paying 180 was not on my budget I decided I was going to make partial payments until the due date on March 5. Guess what, during a two week period between Feb 9 and Feb 20 I received 4 calls from the credit card department treating me like a criminal or very bad person asking me to give them my bank account to make the payments.
First, I knew I was late but the people calling my house were so unprofessional and rude. The calls were made first thing in the morning at 9 am and after receiving the calls (each call) the Kohl’s computer system kept calling me requesting to call Kohl’s.
After the first call I made half of the payment and call Kohl’s and closed the credit card but I continued to receive the calls. I made the final payment at the store and still received a call the next day. So, I made another call and told them that I was continue to receive the calls and I was so disappointed that I will never shop at Kohl’s again. Seriously never again.
Why don’t you pay your bills ahead of time? You should not wait till its due date on the weekend to pay it…I get my kohls bill and pay it online through my bank…It never get forgotten on any day with an automatic draft…Best Wishes!
been there done that. and the funds was applied to the previous billing cycle and i was still charged a late fee. so explain that? can’t when for loosing.
I have my bank set for auto draft (3 days after the bill is cut) and they still screwed me over. Earlier this year my payment was due on a Sunday. I sent my payment out the prior Monday, with bank confirmation that it would be received before Friday. This has never been an issue getting it applied the day it is received prior; however this time they didn’t apply it till Monday after the payment due date, with hefty fees to boot. I called and a very disinterested rep tried to argue with me that the fee should stay. After I told her to check the records, the payment was sent in time, and I have proof from my bank they had it before that Friday, 2 days before the due date minimum. The fact that they decided not to post it till 3 days after receiving, and after the due date was none of my problem. She removed the fee, with an attitude. I’m only grateful that I had Mint to alert me that they had charged a fee that Tuesday so I could clear it all up fast.
@LizhatesKohhl’s, I completely understand where you are coming from. My card balance was $150 and my $10 minimum payment was late last month, my fault. I received two calls from their collections and then went online and made a payment. Since that time (which has been about 2 weeks) I am receiving collection calls everyday. I am receiving at least 7 calls per day!!! I gave up answering and they don’t bother to leave a message. Plan on paying off and closing teh account.
If you pay 1/3 of the bill every month no interest or fees are added. Example: Your bill for the month is $90… if you pay $30 you will not get an interest charged for the month. This is why I LOVE their card!!
USE TO HAVE THIS IN VA BUT NO MORE —WAS GREAT WHILE IT WAS IN EFFECT
That’s great. Unfortunately, I hadn’t read that in the fine print on my bill and, having already paid under a third of my balance, I immediately called Kohl’s and asked if I could add an additional amount to avoid the interest charge. I was told NO, because the billing cycle had just lapsed (even though the bill wasn’t due out for another 2 1/2 weeks)! Really? I was told that, if I sent more money immediately, it would not be credited to avoid the piggish interest charge. Thanks for woking with me Kohl’s. So glad I closed my account.
Well spoken!
But that will change…I’m not sure where you live…they offered it in the Richmond, VA area several years back, but then they cancelled that payment option…I loved it too!!!
NEWS FLASH:—– Almost ALL of the plcc (private label credit cards) have aprs that are equal to or even higher than this. It’s when you get a card like AMERICAN EXPRESS/VISA/MC—etc w/o a vendor name on it that you get the lower rates. Check out GE Capital Retail Bank’s whopping 26.99% as a low for many of its cards. Sears—master card—25.99. So you see—21.49 is not soooo bad—all tho it is nothing to smile about. Just buy what you can afford to pay off in one or two pmts—get the discounts using the card and run with it.
excuse—21.99
Okay, I am a Kohl’s employee and here’s the deal with that: as soon as you use your Kohl’s Charge for an in-store purchase, you can pay it off right there at the register with cash or a check! That makes it almost impossible to rack up debt with it. Also, Kohl’s charge card holders don’t necessarily get “discounts” every time they use the card, but they will receive coupons at least 12 times a year to use with their card. All in all, the Kohl’s Charge is pretty safe! Also, since you can only use it with Kohl’s, you don’t have to be afraid of racking up debt anywhere else!
Meagan
I have a question for you. In this world where customer service is almost entirely lacking at most businesses, why would a company encourage their customers to use a store credit card after waiting in line at the checkout then go stand in line at customer service to pay it off? There is absolutely no convenience for your customers.
If you want to reward your loyal customers why not offer some kind of frequent shopper card that can be scanned at the register and give the customer the option of payment methods including cash? I have to think its because Kohls knows that people spend more when using credit cards and many people will not pay the balance immediately. Feel free to correct me if you think I am wrong.
I used to work at Kohls and you can pay it off right at the register after your purchase, I’m not promoting the card…or the store for that matter, but you don’t have to wait in two lines.
As a Kohls associate – I have to say you DO NOT in any way, shape, or form have to go to Customer Service to pay your bill ever, unless you want to come see us. Every single register is equipped to take your payment. We can not however, see your bill, we cannot tell you your outstanding balance that is your responsibility not that of the associate taking your payment.
Spend what you can afford, if you spend more you will get the interest and that is with ANY card.
There are only 3 payment methods at the stores: Cash, Checks and Kohls for Kids Gift Cards – see http://www.kohlscorporation.com/communityrelations/community06.htm for details. It is not the choice of the associate taking your payment on the method of payment – Kohls does not accept other credit cards for payment *most credit cards do not allow that practice either – and debit cards – well thank Congress for allowing the banks to gouge businesses on fees, since they can not do it to consumers and rather than pay those fees and pass them on to the customer through higher prices, we just do not take them.
Your credit is your responsibility paying your bills on time is your responsibility.
Actually, you can make a payment in the same line you made your purchase in. No need to go back to customer service.
You don’t wait in line again.
I closed my Kohl’s account today. I still have a balance, but it felt so good to shred that card. What a rip off. The gluttonous, outrageous interest rate causes the bulk of ones payment to land squarely in Kohl’s pocket, not against ones balance. Kohl’s takes advantage of the middle/lower class shopper, especially in this economy; they’ll give a card to a cocker spaniel! SHAME ON KOHL’S. Whatever you do, DO NOT open a Kohl’s charge, i.e. credit card! Not to mention the low quality merchandise and inflated “normal price” (before “sale”).
I haven’t found any low quality merchandise in Kohls yet…They do have great prices…and if you would use your Kohls Charge wisely you would get great coupons & discounts to save more money….A credit card is a tool and tools need to be used wisely…You should pay off the entire balance monthly with an automatic draft out of your checking account so you will never pay any interest….
I totally agree. They sell Low quality merchandise compared to Macy’s and also they put the sign “sale” for normal priced merchandise. How cheap they are.
Hey Minnie, you also PAY MUCH MUCH MUCH more for that overpriced merchandise at Macy’s–you DO realize that, right?
If someone agrees to the terms, does his or hers due diligence ( research the products & compare prices ) and makes purchases because they want them, ( not impulse buying ), HOW IS THAT A BAD DEAL???
It’s the deadbeat & shady people among us that piss & moan because they couldn’t get away with screwing them over or try to get something for nothing…If one has buyers remorse, simply return it!!
There are hungry & homeless children all over this country…If you want to bitch about something, bitch about something important!’
If you racked up a bill on foolishness, how is that Kohl’s fault?
Next time you go to buy that thing you don’t need, that hungry baby could use some milk!!
Take your own advice and stop moaning. And your comment is silly; ignorant to what this article is trying to accomplish. It is not moaning that Kohl’s is a bad store, it’s giving advice that is given by financial experts and taught even in financial classes– that these store cards are made TO PROFIT off of people, and they are in fact worse than regular credit cards. Yes, a credit card can be good or bad depending on how the person uses it, but this article simply seeks to educate others on this matter, and that’s important. It needs to be said.
And how you go from “it’s your fault, don’t blame Kohl’s to… scolding buyers for buying something that you think they don’t need (I guess people can never need clothing, according to you, and purchases are only ever frivolous?), I’m not sure, but this was another ignorant comment.
If you’re so worried about the hungry and homeless shut up and go volunteer.
Well said…If you can’t afford it…then don’t charge it…!
I have absolutely ZERO credit. So in order to build credit I need to get a store card that reports to the credit bureau. Is this a good card to apply for just to get me going? I don’t intend on maxing out the limit, just buying a candy bar or so every so often to get my rating up.
My advice to you (coming from a 23 year old with exceptional credit and about to close on my first mortgage) is to avoid a store card. The first card I ever got was a $500 limit Visa at my credit union. It was nice because it is a major card that I could use anywhere with a low interest rate. I never carried a balance, but it was nice to know that if I needed to due to an emergency or something I wouldn’t be charged a ton of interest. Good luck!
Just to make a point to all of you saying kohls ruined your credit blah blah blah.. YOU are the one that charged it to your card so YOU are the one responsible for paying it. There is no reason these days for “not knowing you owe money” on a credit card or any bill. You can do just about all bill paying online INCLUDING your kohls card! There’s also this thing we call a telephone that you can pick up and talk to someone who can tell you if you owe anything! YOU applied for a credit card no one just gave you one with a balance already on it and set out to screw your credit score. Take some responsibility people!!
Well said
I appreciate what you have written; I think some comments countering it are overly critical because they are generalizing credit decision-weighers accessing this site to people with their specific needs, interests, knowledge and experience. Um, really not how forums and advice sources work.
People who come with a specific question, and get a wide-ranging spectrum of points to consider get information that probably erases or further worries a doubt, or sends one off on a better direction.
I came here with a lot of the same common sense grounding in how credit works (monthly vs. annual rates, etc.), but I DO care to have that pointed out (!), because I have been in situations where “Yes, I can pay that,” turned a bit south, but then hit the gas pedal HARD because what seems like zero-interest, because I pay my bills on time, turned (ta-dah) to 21-what?!-percent OUCH. Everyone needs to have this repeated when considering whether to take a specific card. I have much better interest rates on my three credit cards (MC & V); I was thinking about opening a Kohl’s to pick up some year-end deals, but wanted to investigate how hard it is to qualify. I’m not really sure what my current credit score is, but I know it’s getting pretty decent, but I also know stores are notoriously extreme in their ranges of accepting credit accounts applicants, even when they push with abandon for numbers.
I absolutely don’t want to apply and get turned down, as I know this will ding my score. Everything in this column reminded me of exactly why I do not want to apply for a Kohl’s card: I don’t need one because I have three better ones sitting in my wallet with all the available credit I need, and none of the negatives that, although wouldn’t be surprising, would be an uninvited ‘boo’ down the road if I have other unexpected debt or income shortfall in the future (I don’t care if it’s next year or next paycheck—*un*expected means it doesn’t matter if I *normally* pay my credit accounts in full each month, next month I could be struck in the road by an uninsured driver and I don’t need 21-24% of anything on my head (and it’s ALL relative with revolving accounts, why would anyone actually state that 21% doesn’t mean 21% if he/she pays it off next month? except with regards to the grace period of any credit account, 21% SUCKS, and it will until banks and money lenders can legally push it up to 31%; 21% used to be completely unacceptable to a consumer, and now people don’t bat an eyelash, and say what they’ve been trained to say by the people that have them by the organs: “it’s just the fine print, you’ll have payed off well before we get to your second kneecap–crutches are in this year, lemme’ show you one–you know, buy two, the third is free!”.
No, Kohls, and I believe I actually “need” about half of what I was considering buying (buy one, second half-off, whatever!). Good, solid information, with strong, RESPONSIBLE reminders; keep up the good work.
The smart people do as you do……The way to do it is get the card, get the savings then pay the full balance. Of course department store cards have higher rates as they have banks along with their own interests combined. As far as getting the card its not hard….As long as you have above 650 their isnt a risk factor unless you claimed bank. in the last six years. Nobody should finance items at 22.9 apr. Use the card for the savings, pay it before the next cycle date and thus no interest. Who finances clothes anyway?
First of all 21.9 is the Annual % rate. Its calculated on a monthly periodic rate based on your average daily balance. If you wait an entire year to pay something back YES you will pay the annual rate. If you take the 30 percent you get off from using the card, its actually cheaper to have the card as long as you dont wait forever to pay it off. Card Cards should be used with the intention of paying off within a few weeks
I have a new Kohl’s credit card (to get the discounts). I intent to pay it in full every 2 weeks when I get paid (if I use it that often which I probably won’t). I will watch my account on line just like I do my bank account. I think the thing is you have to be responsible for paying your bills on time, whether or not you get the statement. Keep them at a manageable level (I only have the one) and it is easier to watch them. Hopefully I won’t have any problems with them but I will be on my toes.
First of all, typing in all caps does not make you appear smarter. Quite the opposite.
Second of all, badgering a customer to get a card is bad customer service. Some associates only once, others drive it into the ground throughout the entire transaction. The latter just pisses people off.
Third, a card I can only use in one place that hurts my credit score to open? No thanks! Credit is unnecessary if you live within your means. The only reason I would EVER go into any kind of debt is to protect my health, further my education or get a loan for a house.
Daniel, you are correct in everything you say. Especially your last statement to not use credit and spend only what you can afford. I am on this website because my wife ran up the Kohl’s charge almost to the max doing Christmas shopping. I was shocked to see a 21.90% APR. They borrow money at 6% or less. And Kohlsgirl (and guy), thanks for the info. Amazing that a corporate profit model focuses on running up revolving charge and punishing employees for not meeting a ‘quota’. Amazing….this is the problem with this country!! Time for a return to good business practices instead of screwing the consumer / homebuyer / taxpayer at every turn.
Kohls does not have a quota for their employees to fill as far as credit goals are concerned. Sure it looks good to open accounts but that is about all. The APR your speaking of is the annual rate. The card is actually calculated on a monthly periodic based on your av daily balance for the month. I have had a card for years. I typically charge about three hundred dollars every two months and pay my bills on time. This credit “costs me” less then 10 dollars to have when you take off the extra savings for having a card its free. If in fact, you would not buy if you didn’t have a card then your right. The one time I was late all I had to do was call their customer service and my late fee AND interest was waived. Their customer service is excellent and as stated, as long as you pay your bill on time and pay your statement balance there is NO interest.
Kevin, I am an ex-employee of Kolh’s. They don’t punish, but you are shamed. You get a $1 on your check for each credit you get. I am trying to get charge back after my ex-husband claimed it on bankruptcy in 06. It was only 350.00. They won’t let me pay my debt back. I was a MVP, paid my bill on time. Really pissed and going to send letter to Headquarters.
PEOPLE…PEOPLE…PEOPLE
I HAVE HAD A KOHLS CARD FOR YEARS!!! ONLY BUY HOW MUCH YOU CAN PAY OFF AT THE END OF THE MONTH AND DON’T BE LATE. IT’S FUNNY READING THROUGH THESE COMMENTS SINCE I HAVE NEVER HAD AN ISSUE WITH THEM, PROBABLY BECAUSE I PAY OFF MY BILL EVERY MONTH.
welllll u are some kind of queen, not everyone is loaded and pays off their credit cards in one well swell swoop.
Queen? Perhaps you are just an idiot.
Only reason I have a credit card is for the 30% off everything coupons Kohl’s sends to its credit card holders. That’s in addition to their usual Kohl’s Kash promotions. Spend what you can afford. If you only have $50 to spend, then only spend $50. However, if you have the credit card & the 30% coupon, then you can buy $71 worth of goods instead of just $50. If you get Kohl’s Kash for that $50, then you’ve just gotten $81 worth of goods for only $50. Spend more than $50…and hopefully you see the BIGGER savings.
This isn’t rocket science. Yet those who take advantage of the obvious are called “queens”. Look at yourself first before calling others names. Learn from them instead of ridiculing.
You just showed your ignorance when it comes to credit cards and debt. You don’t have be royalty or loaded to pay off your cards in one payment. You simply have to not charge more than you can afford.
I just went “green” to save paper work. I always pay mine off each month also. I called today, (I don’t use the computer a lot) to find out my payment is due tomorrow. They did not notify me. I am thinking of canceling my card. If I had not called, I would have a fee on my “over due” bill. I am on my way to pay it off.
Late fees are waived, up to three a year if you call. Just because you didnt get a bill you didnt know you owed them money? LOL
If you went “green” you should know that means they don’t send you a paper bill anymore. Instead you get an e-bill sent to your E-MAIL. If you know you don’t use the computer that often why would you sign up for the green option? That is your fault not Kohl’s.
I had the same issue. Initial e-billing tests went well until one bill went to my delete mail box. When I realized it was late, I called customer service who told me “no biggie we’ll mark you as paid” then I drove to the store and paid it in full (like $50). Never received the promised $10 credit for signing up.
Next thing I knew, I was dinged on my credit report. I contacted Kohls who refuses to retract the credit statement report. I had always paid my bill in full prior to this. I immediately cancelled my Kohls card and refuse to shop there. Their Kolhs cash was always a scam as well.
I have to other major credit cards – Master Card and Amex – that I use faithfully for points towards gifts and my kids’ 501 plans. Skip the store cards…no bonus whatsoever to having these.
If you don’t use your computer a lot, why go paperless? It’s your responsibility to remember your pmt is due…it’s ALWAYS due on the same date every month, so if you have a balance you know a pmt is due on that date…I’m tired of people bitching when it’s their responsibility!!! Credit card/charge cards have made it so easy to make a pmt…they will even apply a pmt from your bank acct every month, so stop COMPLAINING!!!!!
NERMINA…NERMINA…NERMINA…
There is a button on your keyboard on the left side called “Caps Lock”.
Try pressing it to see if this helps you with your typing problems!!!
Thank you, if it wasn’t for my ex-husband. I would still have my card without a problem. Now I can’t get it back. He claimed it on bankrutcy only small amount at that.
I just want to say that as a Kohls employee we really hate asking and pushing you guys to sign up for the kohls charge. But they will drop our hours if we don’t make their quota. And if you are a single mom or single dad you really need those hours. Bills, bills bills…(I personally feel that customer service should be about making the other person happy and just making some small talk while you ring them up to make their day…) Just something to think about…
Can anyone help me figure out with my card I ‘heard’ to use your card % discount you don’t even have to charge the whole total to use your % is that true or do you have to charge the entire total? Thanks
This may vary from store to store, but you do NOT have to charge the entire total to use your % off coupon. At my store, we say that at least $5 has to be on the Kohl’s charge. It may vary from cashier to cashier, however. The percentage comes off as soon as the cashier scans the coupon or presses a percentage off button, and both of these things are done BEFORE the customer pays anything at all.
There are some coupons that can be used without charging anything to the Kohl’s charge. Among them are Kohl’s Cash, YES Passes, and email coupons. Scratch-Offs and Pick-Your-Day MVC coupons are two of the ones that DO require you to charge a small portion to your Kohl’s Charge.
I totally agree. As soon as I see that look on the customer’s face, I know they’re thinking “here we go again…the sales pitch I can’t get away from at Kohl’s”, and they’re rolling their eyes…I drop it. I’m not paid enough to be a pest. I knew that’s what was expected of me going in and so I do my best but my record is dismal (3 IC’s in a month). I am fortunate enough though that I am primarily just working there for the extra discount. They’ll have to fire me cause I’m not a quitter.
As much as they push for this, you must know that it’s how the company makes a good chunk of their profits and probably how your store manager makes a yearly bonus. No wonder they’re so pushy!
They drop your hours for not getting new accounts? So not true LOL.
I work at kohls and I can say a few things about it, 1, yes they absolutely do cut hours if we don’t make credit goals. They are huge sticklers about credit applications. And yes we do actually have quotas we have to meet and it’s a big deal if we don’t. 2, I hate having to be pushy about applying for one. If they say no I drop it and leave them alone. And 3, because of all you loyal kohls shopper with charge cards and 30% off coupons, since you all still aren’t happy with the incredible sales and deals you’re getting we are treated like shit!
Customers know they can complain and get whatever they want! At least in the kohls I work at we have been told not to question any price the customer says things were on sale for so that also effects sales which also cuts down on hours. So I think you should all shut up and stop complaining!
Oh yes they do drop hours for not getting credit at least in my store. They may be directed by corporate not to – but they do. Just like we just had to do the new respect and harassment training and talking about not working off the clock to get stuff done. Darn near impossible for store associates to get stuff done when they are cutting hours, no help in the departments and then – bam you had a truck come in and no one to put product out.
This is frustrating that someone actually thinks that hours do not get cut. And I have been told by management that if I get more credits I will get more hours.
While I love my kohls card and all the discounts it gets me, I really wish their account website would work so that I can pay my bill online and avoid any late fees. I’ve had some difficulty accessing their new website since it launched a few days ago, otherwise have never had trouble with this card. I’ve had this card for years and saved hundreds due to the coupons, discounts, and promos.
The only tip I have for people is to pay their bills on time! Many store cards have the same penalty. If you don’t pay it, you end up paying more…. Also, if you buy or order something online and get kohls cash, use the kohls cash… Otherwise you lose it, even if you return an item where they deduct your kohls cash amount, even if unused (unless you want store credit). I guess it’s another trip down to kohls to pay my bill this weekend so I don’t get stuck with a penalty.
Hydie:
Yes you can pay your bill online. When you log into Kohls.com just click sign in on the right side of the page to pay bills, there you will be given the option of creating your account. It is pretty simple.
Hope you try it.
Blessings to your day.
I was denied a Kohl’s credit card. On the denial sheet Kohl’s sent to me my credit score was 830. On this sheet Kohl’s said “amount paid down on real estate accounts is too low”. My house was completely paid off, we got a small home equity loan to remodel our kitchen, which did not require a down payment because it was less than and 1/4 of what the house is worth. We do have several credit cards but we don’t use them. We have one credit card that we use each month but it is also PAID IN FULL each month. We owe no other bills. When I called Kohls their explanation was that I might use all the credit cards at once???? I am 61 years old, does not my past credit history count. 0 balances on everything except the one card that is PAID IN FULL each month. I will never do any busy with Kohls ever again, and I do have money and I do buy a lot of stuff for myself, my children and my grandchildren because I do have money and a very good job. To heck with Kohls
I had same experience. I have a great credit rating, have a lot of cards but ALL are paid off each month, totally own my home, have a fixed income of $70,000, no debt and they denied me. I think these companies do not like people they make no money on because they pay up, but then just say so. Hope this denial does not screw up my rating. And I am 70!! No more Kohl’s for me.
Shirley….Kohls bases their rating on your overall credit score. Sure you have a risk factor, however someone with a credit score of 832 no matter what the risk factor is NOT denied. The only score that may be denied would be below 650 with the HIGHTEST RISK FACTOR. I am sure you think your credit is wonderful, but you better check it out. I am not guessing this is the case with Kohls, its fact
Sounds like you have a high risk factor because you have alot of “open credit” available. ALL credit card companies see this as a risk. Your credit score is just a number that is used to meausure how your paying your bills now. Your risk score is what may happen. If you have so much money why would you even apply?
Wow. Reading some of these reviews is starting to hurt my head.
People, listen up. When you apply for credit with Kohls, you’re actually apply for credit from Capital One (it’s in the terms, read them). Capital One has the ultimate decision as to whether or not to issue you the Kohl’s charge card, and their decision is based completely upon the information that the credit bureaus have on you. When the clerk tells you that you were denied for ______ reason, that reason is coming from the CREDIT BUREAU, not Kohls. Saying that you are boycotting shopping at Kohls because you don’t like the information the credit bureau has on you is ridiculous. It is YOUR responsibility to check the accuracy of your credit file – and check it often.
Speaking of responsibility, those of you complaining that you were reported for missing payments and being late, even if it’s late on interest from a previously paid off balance – whose fault do you think that is? Do you think that if you don’t receive a bill in the mail that that bill somehow doesn’t exist, and that you don’t have to pay it? If that were true, I’d toss all my bills into the trash. Financial responsibility is part of being an adult, and many of you seem to need a crash course in it as well as a better basic understanding of how the U.S. credit reporting system works.
Don’t blame Kohl’s for your shortcomings. They are obviously a great store that you love to shop at, or you wouldn’t have applied for the card in the first place.
My goodness, It seems to me some people are trying to just simply say that Kohl’s will not work with you if you make one small mistake…and we all can make a mistake! But it shouldn’t cost us our most sacred CREDIT SCORE that most of us proudly take care of!
Kohls doesnt even report out until your 2 months past due. Kohls waives late fees if you call. Try asking your bank to waive a fee, good luck. If your credit score is so sacred as you say why are you paying late? You have 29 days from the day your statement prints to make a payment
I agree with some of the other people on here, it is your responsibility to pay your card, keep track of your card ..etc if your going out of the country you need to put things in order before you leave. are you people are just looking to be excused for your own responsibilities.
I could not agree more with Brittaney…I see a bunch of excuses here about Kohl’s ruining their credit and so forth when in fact the customers are the ones who did not take care of THEIR bill.. You cannot blame any store or creditor if you lose your bill or the ebills go to your spam.. You know you have a bill- pay it… Why don’t you just pay the bill after you use your charge? Unless you have no money and are charging for that reason. I always have money to back up my charges and the only reason to use store cards is to get the great offers not to buy what you cannot afford or do not need.
I saved 40$ off my 200$ purchase from opening a Kohls card. I immediately paid my balance at the register, right after the purchases were rung up. If you’re spending a decent amount at Kohl’s and have good credit, it can be a pretty sweet deal.
Just don’t go overboard getting cards at every store you frequent. I have two store cards, one for Kohls and one for Banana republic. I have two bank cards, for a total of four cards in all. Just keep track and make sure you pay them off every month. And with Kohls, pay at the register, in cash! That way it’s just like you paid for it in cash.
Kohl’s credit card is the best charge card experience I’ve ever had by far! Just like any other card, you have to be *responsible* when using it. I’ve had it almost four years, use it regularly, and I have never paid a dime of interest! With discount coupons sent in the mail and Kohl’s cash, not only do I get really great deals on clothing, shoes and housewares (always hit the clearance racks first!), but I shop in a clean store, with roomy dressing rooms, and the staff has always been helpful and friendly. Another plus? Any discount coupons used apply to EVERYTHING in the store – nothing is excluded!
Soooo … don’t charge more than you can afford, and just pay ONE-THIRD or more of your balance (on time!) and you will not be charged interest! The amount is clearly marked on the statement. What other charge card allows that? Hopefully, the talk I heard recently about Kohl’s changing the terms of their charge card is not true or maybe it’ll only apply to new customers. ???
In the meantime, I just got another 30% off coupon in the mail as I typed this! This could be trouble
Hi Teresa, would you mind sharing how you get the 30% off coupons? I’ve only gotten the 15% off cards in the mail. Sometimes I can find good promotional codes on-line, but it would be nice to save more than 15% on a regular basis. I am fairly new to the Kohl’s card, so maybe that’s why?
Thanks
call customer service
Kohl’s employee’s are very pushy when it comes to the card but they just don’t want to get fired for not attempting to sell the card. I have no credit, (which is looked at as having bad credit) and of course didn’t get approved but if it ever touches my credit, Kohl’s will rue the day they do that to me. Kohl’s cards can be good if they are used in the right way and paid on time.
I have had a Kohls card for 7 years with a perfect history Just applied for a credit limit increase and was denied. After 5 phone calls , I got someone to tell me why I was denied. There reason was I did not own Real Estate , and my credit usage was to low. They actually said they would prefer it if I had higher balances on my other cards as well as my Kohls card. Really ??? Are you kidding me !!!! Again my denial was because I have low balances on all my credit cards. HAS ANYONE EVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING ?
Yes, I’ve heard of such a thing! The whole credit thing is a bit of a scam, in that the bureaus and companies who report to them, want us to behave responsibly with credit, but that doesn’t include paying everything off every single month, or carrying no or low balances on all of the cards. It’s a weird double-edged sword or a “tail by the dog” kind of system.
Here’s what we do: We have two major credit cards, one that we use for gas and grocery items, that we pay off every month. The other we use to purchase a larger item, like a plane ticket. ($200 or more but not too much due to the interest charges) We don’t use the second card often, maybe once every couple of months, and we take on average two to three months to pay off the larger amount. We *could* pay it off right away, but the slower payments show our credit responsibility, that we are able to carry a balance and still pay it off in a reasonably short period of time, while making the bank a little bit of money in the process. I think it’s a racket, but this seems to be how it works right now. We used to have no credit cards, believing we didn’t need them, until we tried to purchase our home. It took us 6-8 months to increase our credit score by 100 points once we’d opened the cards and begun using them. Our credit score went up 150 points in one year’s time, simply from opening *and using* the two cards and then using the improved credit to purchase our home. I added on the Kohl’s charge a few months ago because I love shopping at Kohl’s and wanted to make the most of their discounts. To do that you need their card.
I think you have to be *vigilant* about using the cards, paying on time, and then going back to make sure that the payments have actually processed correctly. One thing I’ve noticed about Kohl’s, is that it takes a really long time for their payments to process using a checking account. Good information to have so that you can take steps to make the payment about a week sooner than you might have.
payments are processed by 5pm CST, your due date. A check is processed the same as cash, when it is received, however the funds to actually re use the credit may be longer as the check needs to clear. It does not need to clear to be posted. All payments are posted on the day received IF rec by 5pm CST
Yeah That is normal. Credit worthiness seems to work like “Alice in Wonderland”
Lead a responsible and debt free life, you are considered a credit risk.
Run up balances, make minimum payments and live (economic) life on edge, you are the cosidered the best guy to loan money for. It si really backwards in a way everywhere. :–((
to the lovely boycott kohls idiot-
kohls closed your card automatically. nobody was like “hmm, lets piss this person off and close their kohls charge card today!” nobody is out to get you. as a matter of fact, kohls did you a favor.
all accounts inactive for a certain period of time are closed because they figure if you haven’t been in the store and used the card in over x number of years, there’s a possibility it has been stolen from you (and you may not have realized it). therefore, in order to avoid someone being able to charge your card, they close it. the reapplication process is to ensure that you are actually the person you say you are. you’re automatically approved.
next time, do a little research before you spew your half-wit for everyone with a brain to read.
have a lovely day.
Im in same boat as KohlsWatcher, have my acocunt opened for 5 yrs- NEVER BEEN LATE ON THIS OR ANY credit card and never received my bill this past summer. I called into customer care and was told i was 60+ days late. They ruined my credit with all 3 agencies by 100-130 points. IM PISSED!! Have spoken to everyone and their sister from reps, supervisors, and their corporate office. THey state the address is correct and therefore they are not allowed to change the late as they just report payment history and the payment WAS late. I said please review the past 4 yrs you’ll see I wasnt running away from paying the $88 balance,
I need a good contact – someone with a half of a brain to remove this late for me. My mortage rate on new house is going to skyrocket because of the drop in 130 points! This is absurd and I can’t do anything!!!!
HELP PLEASE—anyone have a good email address or phone number for a real person with power that can do something at kohls?
Just curious, how did it go? Did you ever find anyone “with power” to help you? My guess is that you didn’t because there is no such person. Once the late has been reported to the credit bureaus, it’s my understanding that only they can change any status. One thing you can do, I’ve read, that *might* improve your credit score is to contact all three credit bureaus and dispute the late.
You do realize, though, that it’s your responsibility to pay your bill *even if/when you do not get the bill in the mail*? Think about it, several things could happen to any piece of mail. Whether the bill gets lost, delivered to another address, or never sent – it’s *still* your responsibility to pay it. Sorry to say, Kohl’s *did not* “ruin” your credit score – you did.
I’m disappointed in the Kohls shopper that does not respect what Kohls gives you. I have been a Kohls card holder and when I first signed up the lady at the counter said if I wanted to lower my available credit I could do so right there so I made it more affordable to me. Then ANY time I came in they offered me a coupon that I forgot to print out. Where else does that happen. As a Kohls card holder if my coupon of Pick a day is expired they take it. If I went on vacation and my 30% came to my home they honor it even if expired on top of my Kohls Cash.! If you are late, yes you get the late charge but if your smart you can call the customer service line and if you never were late before they will cancel the charge. I charge and I pay right away. I never go home without my check book so when I charge it I pay it. AND for all you ding dongs. You don’t have to use the Kohls card every time you shop. You only have to use it with your Pick a Day or Scratch offs. All the other hundreds of coupons that you get sent don’t have to be used with the card. So even if you don’t charge on your card you get COUPONS. SO charge once a year and keep the coupons coming.. I love my Kohls card and I keep a available credit line no higher than $300 so I’m not over my head!
I am extremely disappointed with Kohl’s unscrupulous credit card practices. I was issued a credit card initially with a decent credit limit and then was notified that my limit had been raised (I did not request it) only to find after I had used the higher credit limit that they would then lower my limit. How convenient for Kohl’s to lower my limit just enough so that I was automatically “over” the limit.
I think that this should be illegal if it isn’t already. I know that it is definitely unscrupulous to say the very least.
I am furious with this type of business which I believe is completely unethical.
No Kohl’s for me!!!
Just opened a Kohl’s charge account primarily because I found that I was doing a lot of shopping at Kohl’s stores and particularly on-line. I missed out on one too many promotional coupons because I didn’t have a Kohl’s charge. If you’re going to shop and spend money at Kohl’s anyway, why not do what you can to save the most money? Makes sense to me. As far as deliquency fees and reporting, from my experience it’s the same with every credit and charge card. For example, I have a Discover card that operates the same way. Despite my impeccable payment history with Discover card, if I were to miss a payment I’d expect to be reported; simple as that. It’s not personal, it’s how the systems work, right or wrong. Do not wait for the bill to come in the mail, or e-mail. Take charge and go to the store to pay the bill on time, or make a phone call and pay in that manner, being sure to monitor the status of your bill and its deduction from your checking account. It might be a little extra trouble, but it’s part of what we sign up for when we get the cards. You don’t have to be perfect to take full responsibility for your finances.
Everyone blaming the consumer on this blog should shut up. I had great credit until Kohl’s screwed me over. They didn’t mail my bills. When you complain they say it is not their responsibility. I paid the balance on my card and thought I was done with it, but there was a few bucks of accumulated interest. I didn’t get a bill alerting me to this for 3 months! Of course the bill had more accumulated interest and penalties. I called and complained and they said too bad. I refused to pay and they reported me to the credit bureaus. I of course had to pay and my credit is damaged for 7 years. I will never shop at Kohl’s again and I urge others to boycott them. They lost a customer for life just to gain a few bucks in interest and penalties. I now watch sales at the major department stores and go to Bass, Banana Republic and other outlet stores and get better quality for a lower price. Hoping Kohl’s folds up soon!!!
FYI… those you complaining that the reporting has hurt your credit score and that you canceled the card, well you have now made your score even lower, apparently your not aware of how the credit reporting system works. No wonder your scores are low! HMMM doesn’t seem to be Kohls fault after all!!
I have a Kohls credit card and have had no problems at all. I pay my balance in full and shop there often. The reviews I’m reading are just people who want to blame Kohls for their incompetence, keeping in mind it is a “CREDIT” card account if you are late $1 or $1000 it will be reported to the credit reporting agency the same as your car payment, your house payment etc.all debts have a due date, “YOU” are responsible to be on time, if not you will be and should be reported as deliquent. If your denied an account with them than your probably paying your other bills late and are not credit worthy. So bottom line is it’s not Kohls fault, it’s yours! Kohls has great deals, no hassles when returning things, I love shopping there.
RE: Kohls Application Number 0059593387 I recently applied for a Kohls credit card while in your store in Augusta, ME. simply to receive an additional discount. I was quickly told by the sales clerk that I was denied and of course she said it loudly enough so at least two customers in line behind me could hear. The reasoning you used for denial is idiotic to say the least, and I quote ” Excessive obligations in relation to income”. My main credit card I use is a VISA and our (my husband & I) monthly obligation runs from $500. to $1000., which we pay in full every month. We don’t have real estate accounts because we own our home. We don’t have installment account balances, period, and your last key factor referring to the time of oldest revolving account opened being to recent makes absolutely no sense. Obviously, by reading the posted credit card reviews I’m far from the only one that thinks your credit card review system is really flawed, and thats putting it mildly. I have shopped at Kohls many, many times in
the past, but rest assured, I won’t be shopping there any more! I’ll also do my best to spread the word about how great your credit card review system is. Have a nice day.
I like how you thought your “letter” to Kohl’s would be read by them on a credit card forum. Also, do you think Kohl’s is a bank? They’re not the ones who rejected your credit (Capitol One handles the credit for their department store card) and the cashier is not a bank employee; they simply read off what the machine replies to them. If you want privacy, apply online at home.
I tried to apply for a Kohl’s charge yesterday, and was denied in less than 60 seconds. It was disappointing because I am trying hard to rebuild my credit. Here I thought I would at least be approved for a small amount, but they didn’t. How does anyone expect a person to rebuild their credit without giving them a second chance? Does anyone know what FICO score Kohl’s is looking for to approve a credit application?
Brenda Blues
I used to work at kohl’s for a good 4 years and i think the card is one of the worst cards you can sign up for. Its interest rates are high but whats worse is the penalty for being late. No one is perfect and people make mistakes. Unless you are in fact perfect and are consistently on top of things (how i felt to be when i first signed up), they will more than likely get the money back and more.
I have the card for about 5 years now. I felt they are most forward in displaying the amounts owed and what would happen in different scenarios.
I am a light spender and try to not carry a balance, so may not be the best guy to comment on this specific issue. Just wanted to share my experience.
Store charge cards are actually what really helped me build my credit. I would buy my stuff, pay it off with cash or check immediately after, and that was the end of that. Greatest thing ever for my credit – not good for continuous debt, but undergarments, work clothes, etc? The 30% off coupons can be excellent! But of course, I never used a store card without paying it off immediately afterward with check/cash.
In a way that made [store cards] better for me than my two Visa cards because it wasn’t something I could use in an emergency. My credit was perfect until I tried using my cards to cover car repair and medical bills I couldn’t pay out-of-pocket… And there wasn’t much I could do about that then, only work on setting aside monthly funds in a special savings account for future medical/car surprises
I think what a lot of people are missing is that the Kohl’s card is NOT a credit card. It is a CHARGE card. YES there is a difference. Google it yourself if you don’t understand.
And yes, you can always pay at the registers or visit the store whenever you like to pay your card off. I agree with people that it is indeed your duty to pay attention to where YOUR money is going.
I used to work at Kohl’s, but I didn’t try to sell the card often because I saw people pull out credit cards that are held together with rubber bands because they are so thick. It’s ridiculous. This is why people are in debt. They can’t handle their own finances.
I no longer work a Kohl’s, but I do work at Barnes & Noble and I STILL see people walk in with giant stacks of plastic.
Oh, and by the way, I just got a Kohl’s card today. My mother has had one for as long as I can remember, and has never had a single issue with them. Ever.
Kohls has no grace period. Aside from interest a $15.00 charge is incurred if your check arrives one day late.
Ok people. I work at Kohls. The card saves people money every day and if you use it right, with the discounts, you can prettymuch “rob the store”. However, I suggest that if you have an accout with Kohls that you pay the bill off at the register if you are worried about “forgettig” to pay your bill. We send 30% off coupons out every month. How many other stores do that for their costomers? When was the last time a department store sent you a 30% off coupon? Not to mention Kohls cash. Moral of the story. Pay your bills and life wont suck. Sold 9 Kohls cards tonight and it felt pretty good
Any questions? Fire @ me
Did I mention, I love my job? Haha
If you have a Kohl’s card, you need to be very diligent as to making your monthly payments. I know from a very negative personal experience that they will not place a call to you until you are 60 days late. It is NOT their policy at this time to call clients who are 30 days late for fear of upsetting them. My statements also went into spam account and I honestly forgot making the purchase. I was never contacted by a customer service associate until they were placing a 60 day late on my history. The supervisor informed me that his records did show no calls placed to me until today. I am 45 with no history of delinquent payments and now my score is gonna drop like a rocket. I am not going to close the account as that will hurt me more but have NO interest in ever doing business with them again. I fully believe that we are in times when credit organizations need to contact a client both by statement and by phone prior to 60 days late. Unfortunately, the Fair Credit Reporting act only requires one point of contact. BEWARE if you do business with this card and with this company.
Sorry. I typed quickly in my anger. Kohl’s only stole $63.75 from me.
So Carol, let me understand. You paid your bill two months before the phone call correct? You didnt notice the payment did not withdraw from the account you paid it with? Maybe you hit the wrong button on the website. I dont understand why yuou didnt see it sitting in the account you paid if from for two months
If you pay your Kohl’s bill online, beware. I made a $69.15 purchase, and paid it online. Then I get a delinquent notice. “Okay,” I thought, “I must have forgotten.” So I paid the bill, complete with interest and fees. I received a confirmation screen,s saying the payment went through. Now I get a phone call from them saying I’m 2 months past due and my bill is $132.90! I paid the bill over the phone and was told they would wave the $10 processing fee. How generous of them. I will never, ever go into a Kohl’s store again. Why would I ever do business with a place that steals $69.15 from me. Yeah, those discount coupons are a really great deal (lol).
When I started working at Kohls, I decided to get a charge card. I’ve honestly never had problems with it. I don’t spend very much, usually less then $50, pay the balance off at the register, and occasionally over-pay my bill by $5-10 so I can have a small cushion just in case I miss a payment. Once in awhile I also check my statement online to make sure everything is Kosher.
A store card is cool if you shop there a lot, but don’t open one just to save 10-20%. I’ve had customers apply though they knew they wouldn’t get approved. They just wanted that 20%. I shudder to think of what their scores are.
Kohl’s is the worst with billing and customer service. I had an excellent credit rating until I got this Kohls Credit Card. I called to make my payment last January and the non speaking English Customer Service person did not deduct the money from my checking account. I did not find out until they called the next month to say I was late. I explained I did call to make a payment and they would not DO ANYTHING TO HELP! My credit score went down. This January I made a payment with a money order and again they claim they did not receive the payment but the money order company said it was cashed. Each time I get charged late and penalties until I can prove they did cash it. They would not own up to the first mistake and look at my credit history to see I was always on time and give me a break. I purchased a car and took out a loan and I realized that my credit score when down 200 points because of Kohl’s reporting me being late 1 TIME! My interest rate is 2.5 times higher than it should be. I called and pleaded with them to take it off my credit score and they won’t budge. KOHL”S SUCKS AND I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW ” DO NOT TAKE OUT A KOHL’s ACCOUNT and if you have 1 “CANCEL IT”!
This card and their billing/customer service department is the most difficult I have ever seen. This is the only card I have that does not have a on-going automatic payment plan and I strongly feel that the reason they don’t is to collect late fees. I feel like I have been played and seduced by their “deals” only to be duped into a card with contract that Kohls should be ashamed by…
I dont know what the problem is with you people.If you cant handle a credit card that you open then think twice before using it.It sounds to me that all of you are late and have no one to blame except kohls,Im sorry but there not responsible to babysit u and monitor your account to see if your late,this is a bunch of bull.
@Claudia.. LOL, You wrote exactly what I was thinking. I must say, some people truly never grow up. Instead of admitting to their own mistakes, they look for someone or something to blame for their stupidity.
I had three credit scores over 800, home fully paid, and virtually no debt. In November I inadvertently missed a payment to Kohl’s, and I blame no one but myself. Yet this missed payment of a very small balance with a $5 minimum payment was immediately reported by Kohl’s to the credit reporting agencies and my scores dropped by 50 points for a missed $5 payment!
No excuses….just a bit of advice. Unless you a perfect human being and never err, you might want to consider shopping elsewhere.
Kohls only reports out after 60 days so what your saying makes no sense
@justme u must work for kohls.. so after every comment you want to put people down and throw incorrect statistics at them in order to sound smart? Get a life jerk!
Kohl’s Charge Card I have one went in the other day to use it and they said my account was closed and had to reopen it with a new application.
All I wanted was it reactivated I had not used the card for sometime and got it in 2008.
Had a few late payments band paid them off .
Then they decided in Sept.2010 to close my account without informing me .
I do not like Kohl’s there Customer Service is worthless with these problems.
I have decided to Boycott Kohl’s .
There are plenty of good Stores that sell the same things and I have no problems.
Kolhs can go to hell for all I care
you had late payments but paid them off? Would you lend someone money again that paid you back late? Your new application is based soley on your credit score and has nothing to do with your past experience with Kohls unless you were so late that it ruined your score. If you are denied Kohls you can bet your will be denied by the other “good stores.” The credit requirements are the same
DO any of the negative bloggers on this site think about the fact that sites like this one are created to lure comments from persons like you because it helps to serve as a Customer Service score card. If you think the credit card has issues try working for Kohls. Worst retail chain I have ever worked for.
I love my Kohl’s card and it has never caused me any trouble. I use it to get all the deals, which are very good! When I check out I hand them my card, get the discount, and then hand them a check or cash right there at the register to pay off what I just put on my Kohl’s charge. I never carry a balance, but still get the deals. Works pretty well for me.
Be careful with Kohl’s credit card. This is the most dangerous credit card I have seen. We might save $10 or so. they will promptly report to credit report agency if we are delayed payment two weeks or so. I am a user of this credit card for last 3 yrs or so. Some reason I am out of country and I had a bill for $10 from Kohl’s that went un noticed and delayed by 2 weeks past due. I paid once I am back and two weeks past due. They reported to credit rating agency and my credit score got droped 40 points. Lucky I do not have any other credit balances on other cards to increase rates They will not revert the credit report. This never happened to me before. I closed this card and will warn other folks for saving $10 or $20 but risk in getting reported. It’s difficult to keep track of these cards prompty and some times get un noticed. you are warned. be careful folks with Kohl’s. It is not worth it.
It sounds like the people on here who “didn’t get their bill” need to quit blaming the company and take responsibility for paying their own bills. If you charge something, odds are pretty good that you’re going to have a bill in the next 30 days and should be proactive to find out why you hadn’t gotten a bill…….
Are you people real? I agree with the Brittany and the others that take ownership of their own credit. Maybe that is what’s wrong with todays finances, people are always blaming others for there own mistakes, When you sign up for a credit card anywhere these days all of them will have the fine print that states a higher intrest rate if you miss or are late on a payment. As far as the rates go the interest rate are high for ALL department store credit cards. To single out Kohls for this is just stupid and unjust! For instance, My husband and I had a Master Card, we were very bad with it and suffered the higher interest rates when we paid late, our faults, Not Master Card, You people sound like the dumb high spenders that bought houses, and cars on credit, then when the economy went bad and you couldn’t make your payments you cried, and said. “poor me” and the blamed the blanks for giving you the load you know would be hard to pay. WAKE UP AMERICA!
I have a Kohl’s charge, and none of this “bad” stuff has happened to me… it is not Kohl’s fault that you threw out the bill and didn’t pay it on time, or that their emails went to your spam, etc… all I read are excuses. It is YOUR job as the consumer to know when your due date is and to pay it on time – regardless of whether or not you see a bill. I requested e-statements as well – I have never received a paper bill, nor have I actually received an ebill – BUT, I made it my personal mission to know what is due and WHEN it is due. So you only have yourself to blame. I use my card all the time AND carry a balance more often then not, and it has never done anything negative to my credit.
I had my almost perfect credit rating ruined by using my Kohl’s charge,too. I signed up for e-statements. My bills went to my spam listing, and by the time I was informed that my payment was late, my FICO score took a 50 point hit. Seems this is a known problem for Yahoo users. A nice young man at the register told me about this, after the fact, of course. Sure could have used a little warning.
I HAD an kohls charge card account. I formally closed this account about a year and a half ago because i did not use it; I do not intend to use it. This account is CLOSED.
However, I continue to receive Informational Statements which I do not want.
What do I have to do to get you to stop sending these statements.????
I would appreciate your action to discontinue these statements or will you please contact me by E-Mail advising me who and how I need to contact to have this action taken.
Thanks
Do not, under any circumstances, get a Kohl’s credt card unless you want your credit wrecked.
I have had perfect credit for more than 20 years, and never paid a bill late. For the first time, I misplaced, inadvertently threw out, or never received a Kohl’s bill (for a $25 coffeepot).
I received a phone call a couple of weeks after the due date, telling me bill was late. I was surprised, as I don’t pay bills late. I was able to take care of the bill by phone, in real time. I thanked the customer service person for calling to alert me of the missed payment.
Unbeknownst to me, the company had, nevertheless, marked my account as delinquent, and sent it off to the credit reporting bureaus.
I only learned of this when my other credit card companies started raising my very low interest rates to very high rates. I went through the proper customer service channels to get the negative information removed from my credit report, but Kohl’s ‘ruled’ that it could not be removed.
I found my way to a top-level executive via business connections, who ultimately got the info removed. Customer service seemed to relish the fact that they were harming my credit, and I spent weeks on the phone trying to get this straightened out – to no avail.
After I filed a complaint with the FTC and a few other consumer sites, I saw stories online – nearly identical – to mine.
As a follow-up: I just reviewed my credit reports today. Although I clearly requested that Kohl’s close the account last year – it remains open. I also notice that Kohl’s reviewed my credit a month ago. I have not used the card since last year, and I thought the account was closed. I have no idea what they are doing in my credit report.
There is something unethical, and quite possibly illegal, going on with the credit card end of this company. I no longer shop at Kohl’s. I do urge a business journalist or a federal regulator to investigate the practices of this company.
People – The answer is do not spend money you don’t have. Get the Kohl’s credit card and get the great savings and don’t pay interest. Don’t carry a balance and pay it off in full. This is the same story with every card. Discover give me a break… They are Sears all over and dropped my husband line of credit from 13k to 500.00 after 20 years of having a card. Never late and never carry a balance. Guess they were not making enough money on us. The 5% is not always a promotion and you have to wait until is get in $20.00 increments to get your reward. Then it takes weeks to arrive snail mail. The reviewer should know that all credit cards store or otherwise are bad news if you do not pay them off.
Yes, Kohls has a high interest rate. But -they always offer a minimum payment that will allow you to avoid ANY interest charges at all – and it’s relatively reasonable amount in relation to the total balance. So, if you are paying the outrageous interest charges on a Kohls account because you can’t pay the amount needed per month to avoid interest altogether – then you are charging more than you should be. I LOVE that option because I have the flexibility to make a larger purchase – and then pay it off WIThOUT INTEREST-by simply paying the amount indicated to avoid an interest charge. Amanda’s idea about paying right then and there after you purchase is great, too. If you are paying their interest fees- and they are high – maybe you need to rethink your spending habit if you can’t manage the payment that allows you to avoid interest at all.
Kohls charge is honestly so hard to get approved at. I work there and it’s ridiculous.
But to be honestly, it is the best credit card to have.
For instance, its normaly fifteen percent off when opening a kohls charge. When you get your card in the mail you get another fifteen percent off. Than on top of them every month for a week you can save fifteen to thirty percent through our scratch off sale. PLUS a few times a month they send out 3 day shopping passes which are fifteen percent and fifteen percent pick a days you can use once. And the best part is IF YOUR SMART, you can make a payment right after in cash or check, which is really great cause your really saving.
I see so many customers come in during scratch off/peel off sale with THIRTY PERCENT, buy loads of stuff, save so much, and pay it off right then and there.
Now you really cant complain about them.
Unless your stupid and rack your card up.
Other than that, your good.
best card ever =)
@Amanda.., So far your comment has been one of the smartest and logical one I’ve read. You are right about one thing. If you get the Khols card, you have to know how to use it. If you use it in the correct manner., you can save a ton of money every year on clothes. Especially in my case, I have a family of 7. And yes the Khols card is a very, very difficult card to get. I have applied numerous times in the past and always got rejected until finally last week, I finally got approved after trying for 5yrs. LOL
Dear Sirs,
Some time ago I applied for a Kohl’s credit card in the Manitowoc, WI store. The clerk said that they needed more infor and I was denied. I week or so later a letter came in the mail saying I was denied a Kohl’s credit card. I used my Master Card as a reference. I have never missed a payment and most of the time I pay it off at the end of the month. I am sorry but I don’t owe anyone anything at this time but I must have a pass credit record which should be excellent. If there is a problem with my credit I sure as heck would like to know why but I never really got an explaination. Is there something wrong with not owing money and trying to make sure you pay your bills? Iam constantly getting mailing saying I am pre-approved for credit cards and I just was told at Lowe’s that I am pre-approved if I want to apply for a credit card there. What is the problem with Kohl’s!!!! I know another person in my similar situation who was also denied a Kohl’s credit card.
Karen Resch